Departmental Units Included in the Task Force
One of the departments included in the task force will be the criminal gangs unit, whose activities are aimed at preventing and suppressing criminal groups. Counteraction to criminal groups consists in the development and implementation of specific measures based on a general analysis of the crime situation and its prognosis, since it is conducted directly against the organized criminal gangs, and not particular crimes. Thus, this unit will be engaged in the capture of a criminal gang, and not in the investigation of individual crimes, which implies an integrated approach to solving the problem.
The methodology for investigating crimes committed by minors is based on the general provisions and principles of private methods for investigating specific types of crimes. Cole et al. (2021) note that the investigation features are related to age characteristics, the personality of minors, psychological attitudes, interpersonal relationships, motives, and methods for committing crimes. Since robberies are committed by teenagers and children, investigating such cases requires taking into account the individual’s personal and age-related psychological characteristics. In this regard, the Juvenile unit, whose activities are aimed at preventing and responding to delinquency among young people, will also be part of the task force.
Since various goods are stolen during the offense, involving the department in investigating crimes against property seems appropriate. This department’s patrol seeks to understand and reduce the incidence and consequences of property crime (Winfree & Mays, 2019). Thus, in this case, the department’s role is to interview and interrogate potential suspects, witnesses, and victims of crimes. The citywide camera watch unit will also become part of the task force. According to Edwards and Travis III (2019), the camera system is comprehensive crime prevention, investigation, and rapid response tool. Thus, the role of this department is to monitor surveillance cameras installed near crime scenes, as well as in the business district in the city center, to detect committed crimes and prevent future ones.
No less significant unit included in the task force is the evidence locker. It is a high-security department where evidence is kept. Evidence plays a vital role in the investigation of a crime. McBride (2021) argues that the presence or absence of crime items can significantly affect the course of events in the case under consideration. The role of this unit is to secure evidence related to crimes.
The crime analysis unit will be the last but no less significant department in the task force. According to Peak and Madensen-Herold (2019), the critical functions of this department are to collect, process, analyze and report on crime trends, patterns, problems, and people involved in crime. Crime analysis staff engages in strategic, tactical, and problem analysis. These officers will perform a diversity of statistical and descriptive analysis procedures using software tools and critical thinking to interpret when, how, and why theft occurred. It helps form short and long- theft response strategies. In turn, Patrol and Investigations commanders will lead the squad to stop the thefts.
Departmental Units Not Included in the Task Force
In this case, units of the Virtual Police Department such as the narcotics and vice unit, animal control unit, cyber-crimes unit, and homicide unit will not be included in the task force. The narcotics and vice unit is responsible for actively investigating drug trafficking and distribution (Winfree & Mays, 2019). Thus, the function of this unit is to identify and eliminate drug suppliers. Moreover, the staff of this unit helps patrol units develop and implement strategies to combat the street sale of drugs. Thus, since the stolen goods are not related to drug trafficking, this unit will not be involved.
Moreover, in this case, the animal control unit also will not become part of the task force. McBride (2021) notes that this department is responsible for enforcing county and state regulations regarding animals and the treatment of animals. This applies to a wide variety of situations related to animals. Thus, the department’s employees investigate complaints of cruelty to animals, cases of animal attacks on people and livestock, and deal with the problem of animal straying in public places. Thus, the functions of this unit are in no way related to the theft of goods.
Cyber-crimes unit is also among the units that will not be involved in investigating this case. The critical tasks of this unit are the fight against copyright infringement, illegal penetration into a computer network, using fake credit cards, and distributing pornography via the Internet (Cole et al., 2021). It follows that the competence of this department does not include the investigation of the theft of goods. Another unit that will not be involved in this case is the homicide unit, which specializes in solving homicides, attempted murders, suicides, overdoses, and apparent sudden deaths. Since “Flash Robs” is not associated with murders, the involvement of employees of this unit will not be required.
Non-Departmental Units Included in the Task Force
The local judicial office and the detention center will be a non-departmental units engaged in the task force. The judicial office will issue search warrants as, without them, searches of suspects’ premises would be impossible and violate Fourth Amendment privacy laws. Moreover, the department will try the suspects and pass sentences on them. In turn, the detention center is a penitentiary institution that ensures the isolation of suspects, accused, defendants, and convicts. Suspects will be kept here to whom detention has been applied as a preventive measure. Thus, through the interaction of all eight units that make up the task force, the “Flash Robs” will be stopped, and the culprits will be punished.
References
Cole, G.F., Smith, C. E., & DeJong, C. (2021). Criminal justice in America. Cengage Learning.
Edwards, B. D. & Travis III, L. F. (2019). Introduction to criminal justice. Routledge.
McBride, R. B. (2021). Criminal justice internships: Theory into practice. Routledge.
Peak, K. J. & Madensen-Herold, T. D. (2019). A brief introduction to criminal justice: Practice and process. SAGE Publications.
Winfree, L. T. & Mays, G. L. (2019). Introduction to criminal justice: The essentials. Wolters Kluwer.